Bathtub support device



Jan. 3, 1967 A. MARTIN ETAL 3,295,146

BATHTUB SUPPORT DEVI CE Filed March 24, 1964 ALFRED MARTIN MILDRED II.MARTIN United States Patent Office 3,295,146 Patented Jan. 3, 19673,295,146 BATHTUB SUPPORT DEVICE Alfred Martin and Mildred J. Martin,both of 3694 Normandy Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada FiledMar. 24, I964, Ser. No. 354,280 6 Claims. (Cl. 41$5) This inventionrelates to a support device for use in a bathtub.

It is an object of the invention to provide a support device which maybe detachably mounted on the rim of a bathtub adjacent one end thereofto provide a comfortable support for the head or head and upper bodyportions of a person reclining in the tub.

lt is a further object of the invention to provide a support device foruse in a bathtub, which is of simple construction, which may quickly andeasily be attached to or removed from a bathtub and which will notdamage the tub or mark the surface finish thereof in any way.

In accordance with these objects, the present invention contemplates theprovision of a support device for mounting on a bathtub, comprising apanel adapted to extend transversely of the bathtub, said panel formedwith a central section extending inwardly from a longitudinal edgethereof and ccncaved upwardly of the panel for supporting the head of aperson reclining in the tub, and means adjacent each end of said panelfor detachably mounting said panel on the opposite side walls of saidbathtub.

In another form of the invention the support device includes adownwardly inclined extension projecting forwardly from the longitudinaledge of the central portion of said panel and shaped so as to receiveand support the shoulders and upper part of the body of a personreclining in the bathtub.

Other features which may be included in accordance with the inventionwill be described hereinafter and referred to in the appended claims.

The invention will now be more fully described in connection with theaccompanying drawings which show by way of example embodiments of theinvention, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view showing one form of support device accordingto the invention mounted on a bathtub ready for use,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation view of the device of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view on the line 33 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of an alternative form of the invention,

FIGURE 5 is a view in front elevation of the device of FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5,and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing one form of detachablemounting means for the support device.

Referring to the drawings, the support device consists of a flatrectangular panel 10 of sufiicient length so that when mountedtransversely over the bathtub 12, the end portions thereof rest on andare supported by the upper edge or rim 14 of the bathub. The panel 10may be formed of any suitable material which should of course preferablybe non-corrosive material. Preferably, the panel is formed of a suitableplastic material which provides strength with lightness and which iseasy to keep clean. If desired, the whole panel may be formed of asuitable resilient material, such as rubber. The panel is formed with acentral dished or recessed portion 16 extending inwardly from the frontlongitudinal edge 18 of the panel 10 and inclined upwardly and inwardlyfrom said front longitudinal edge to form a support for the back of thehead of a person reclining in the bathtub. In applications where thepanel is formed of a plastic or other stiff material, it may bedesirable to provide a pad of resilient material which may bepermanently or detachabiy mounted within the dished central portion 16to provide a comfortable cushion for the head of the user.

The panel 10 is formed adjacent each end thereof with suitable means fordetachably connecting the panel to the upper edge of a bathtub. As shownin FIGURES 1 to 3 of the drawings, the detachable mounting meanscomprises suction cups 20 having bolts 22 engageable with slots 24formed adjacent the ends of panel 10. The bolts 22 are slidablyadjustable in the slots 24 and are provided with nuts 26 for releasablylocking the suction cups 20 in an adjusted position. The suction cups 20are thus movable along the panel 10 enabling the spacing therebetween tobe varied in accordance with the width of the tub. In use, the suctioncups 2% are pressed downwardly into contact with the upper edge of therim 14 of the bathtub and are effective to retain the panel 10 in itsassigned position extending transversely over the tub near the head endthereof. When it is desired to remove the support device from thebathtub, it is merely necessary to exert an upward pressure on the panel10 to release the grip exerted by the suction cups 20. In this manner,therefore, the support device may be quickly and easily mounted on orremoved from the bathtub.

In an alternative form of the invention shown in FIG- URES 4 to 6, thesupport device consists of a panel 30 formed with a central dishedportion 32. A downwardly inclined extension 34 is formed integral withpanel 36 and projects forwardly from the front longitudinal edge 36 ofthe dished portion 32. With the device mounted on a bathtub, theextension 34 forms a support for the shoulders and upper body portionsof a person reclining in the bathtub, whilst the dished portion 32 formsa support for the back of the head of said person. The panel 30 isprovided adjacent each end with a series of parallel grooves 38extending transversely thereof. Detachable mounting means eachconsisting of a rod member 4% provided at each end with a suction cup 42are selectively engageable with said grooves for securing the panel tothe upper edge of the bathtub. As shown, each of the rod members 40 isprovided with a threaded portion 4 4 at each end thereof and is adaptedto be inserted through holes 46 formed in the upper ends of the stemportions 48 of suction cups 42. Preferably, the rod members 40 eachcomprise a rigid, for example, metallic rod 50 provided with a tightfitting sleeve 52 made of a resilient noncorrosive material, such asplastic, and the rod members are secured to the cup members by means ofnuts 54 preferably formed of plastic which are screwed on to thethreaded portions 44 thereof. In use, a pair of rod members 4d are laidin selected ones of grooves 38, the grooves being selected in accordancewith the width of the bathtub and the rod members are mounted one oneach end of the panel. With the rod members 40 thus disposed in theselected grooves, the associated suction cups 42 are then presseddownwardly into contact with the rim 56 of the bathtub, thereby firmlythough releasably to secure the panel 30 in its assigned position overthe bathtub. To remove or relocate the support, it is merely necessaryto pull the cups upwardly to release their suction grip on the rim ofthe bathtub.

The present invention thu provides a support for use in bathtubs whichis easily and quickly mounted on or removed from the tub and whichaffords positive and comfortable support for the head or head and upperbody portions of the user. It will be appreciated that the foregoingdescription details only exemplary embodiments of the invention, andthat many variations in detail can be envisaged without departing fromthe scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What We claim as our invention is:

1. A support device for mounting on a bathtub comprising a panel adaptedto extend transversely over the tub with its ends extending over the rimof the tub, said panel having a central dished portion extendinginwardly from a longitudinal edge thereof for supporting the back of thehead of a person reclining in said tub and a downwardly inclinedextension fixedly secured to and projecting forwardly from saidlongitudinal edge of said central dished section, said extensionconcaved upwardly for supporting the upper portions of the body of saidperson, and means secured to the panel adjacent each end thereof fordetachably mounting said panel on the rim of said tub.

2. A head rest for mounting on a bathtub comprising a panel adapted toextend trasversely of the tub and over the rim thereof and having acentral dished portion extending inwardly from a longitudinal edgethereof, said dished portion inclined upwardly and inwardly from saidlongitudinal edge and forming a support for the back of the head of aperson reclining in said tub, a downwardly inclined extension fixedlysecured to and projecting forwardly from said longitudinal edge of saidcentral sec tion, said extension concaved upwardly for supporting theupper portions of the body of said person, and a plurality of suctioncups connected to said panel adjacent opposite ends thereof anddepending downwardly therefrom, said suction cups adapted to be pressedagainst the upper surface of the rim of the tub firmly though releasablyto retain said panel in its position over said tub.

3. A support device for mounting on a bathtub comprising a panel adaptedto extend transversely over the tub with its ends extending over andsupported by the rim of the tub, said panel having a central dishedportion extending inwardly from a longitudinal edge thereof forsupporting the back of the head of a person reclining in said tub and adownwardly inclined extension fixedly secured to and projectingforwardly from said longitudinal edge of said central dished portion,said extension concaved upwardly for supporting the upper portion of thebody of said person, a plurality of parallel grooves extendingtransversely of said panel adjacent each end thereof, and meansengageab-le with a selected one of said grooves at each end of the panelfor releasably mounting said panel on the rim of said tub.

4. A support device for mounting on a bathtub comprising a panel adaptedto extend transversely over the tub with its ends extending over the rimof the tub, said panel having a central dished portion extendinginwardly from a longitudinal edge thereof for supporting the back of thehead of a person reclining in said tub and a downwardly inclinedextension integral with said panel and projecting forwardly from saidlongitudinal edge of said central dished section, said extensionconcaved upwardly for supporting the upper portions of the body of saidperson, a plurality of parallel grooves extending transversely of saidpanel adjacent each end thereof, and a pair of rod members each providedat each end thereof with a suction cup, each of said rod members adaptedto fit within a selected one of said grooves at opposite ends of thepanel with their associated suction cups depending downwardly therefrom,said suction cups effective to grip the rim of the tub thereby to holdsaid rod members and said panel in position over the tub.

5. A support device for mounting on a bathtub comprising a panel adaptedto extend transversely over the tub with its ends extending over the rimof the tub, saidpanel being formed with a central concave sectionopening upwardly therefrom near a longitudinal ed e thereof forsupporting the head of a person reclining in the tub and a downwardlyinclined extension fixedly secured to and projecting forwardly from saidlongitudinal edge of said central section, said extension being concavedupwardly for supporting the upper portions of the body of said person,supporting extensions attached to the ends of said panel and extendingforwardly therefrom in the same genera-l direction as said inclinedextension and beside the latter, and means adjacent the ends of thepanel and outer ends of said supporting extensions for detachablymounting said supporting device on the upper edges of the opposite sidewalls of the tub.

6. A support device for mounting on a bathtub comprising a panel adaptedto extend transversely over the tub with its ends extending over the rimof the tub, said panel being formed with a central concave sectionopening upwardly therefrom near a longitudinal edge thereof forsupporting the head of a person reclining in the tub and a downwardlyinclined extension fixedly secured to and projecting forwardly from saidlongitudinal edge of said central section, said extension being concavedupwardly for supporting the upper portions of the body of said person,supporting extensions attached to the ends of said panel and extendingforwardly therefrom in the same general direction as said inclinedextension and beside the latter, and suction cup means adjacent the endsof the panel and outer ends of said supporting extensions for detachablymounting said supporting device on the upper edges on the opposite sidewalls of the tub.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,523,447 9/1950Reagan et al. 4185 2,604,637 7/1952 Moore 4-l85 2,744,263 5/1956 Kraft4-l85 2,825,069 3/1958 Jorgensen et al 4l85 FOREIGN PATENTS 833,1053/1952 Germany.

LAVERNE D. GBIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K, ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

1. A SUPPORT DEVICE FOR MOUNTING ON A BATHTUB COMPRISING A PANEL ADAPTEDTO EXTEND TRANSVERSELY OVER THE TUB WITH ITS ENDS EXTENDING OVER THE RIMOF THE TUB, SAID PANEL HAVING A CENTRAL DISHED PORTION EXTENDINGINWARDLY FROM A LONGITUDINAL EDGE THEREOF FOR SUPPORTING THE BACK OF THEHEAD OF A PERSON RECLINING IN SAID TUB AND A DOWNWARDLY INCLINEDEXTENSION FIXEDLY SECURED TO AND PROJECTING FORWARDLY FROM SAIDLONGITUDINAL EDGE OF SAID CENTRAL DISHED SECTION, SAID EXTENSIONCONCAVED UPWARDLY FOR SUPPORTING THE UPPER PORTIONS OF THE BODY OF SAIDPERSON,